Growth and Persecution in Iconium

1The same thing happened in Iconium; they entered the Jewish •synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.a 2But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against the brothers.b 3So they stayed there for some time and spoke boldly in reliance on the Lord, who testified to the message of His grace by granting that signs and wonders be performed through them.c 4But the people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews and some with the apostles.d 5When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to assault and stone them, 6they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns called Lystra and Derbe, and to the surrounding countryside.e 7And there they kept evangelizing.f

Mistaken for Gods in Lystra

8In Lystra a man without strength in his feet, lame from birth,g and who had never walked, sat 9and heard Paul speaking. After observing him closely and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet! ” And he jumped up and started to walk around.h

11When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the form of men! ”i 12And they started to call Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the main speaker. 13Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the town, brought oxen and garlands to the gates. He, with the crowds, intended to offer sacrifice.

14The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting:j 15“Men! Why are you doing these things? We are men also, with the same nature as you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you should turn from these worthless thingsk to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them.l, m 16In past generations He allowed all the nationsn to go their own way, 17although He did not leave Himself without a witness,o since He did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasonsp and satisfying yourq hearts with food and happiness.” 18Even though they said these things, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.

19Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they had won over the crowds and stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead.r 20After the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.s

Church Planting

21After they had evangelized that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch,t 22strengthening theu disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faithv and by telling them, “It is necessary to pass through many troublesw on our way into the kingdom of God.”

23When they had appointed eldersx in every church and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 24Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25After they spoke the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26From there they sailed back to Antioch where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.y 27After they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported everything God had done with themz and that He had opened the dooraa of faith to the Gentiles. 28And they spent a considerable timeab with the disciples.